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To whom it may concern,

I'm not the kind of person who has knee jerk reactions to things I
see posted on social media.  I'm an independent thinker that does
my research and studies an issue before forming an opinion about
it.  

I've looked into this issue about new CARB engine regulations and
how it relates to the sportfishing industry.  I have some points
that I hope you would consider.  I think it's probably well
documented how these new regulations would put a tremendous
financial strain on sportfishing boat owners, the customers that
ride on these boats and the future of sportfishing in California. 
While I care deeply about those things, I want to offer a broader
perspective as to why someone who doesn't participate in these
activities should care about this industry.

- Economic impact: the most recent studies from 2017 show that
recreational fishing spending by the roughly 2.8MM anglers in
California amounts to about $2.4B in direct spending.  That direct
spend has almost a $5B state impact when you consider ancillary
spending on hotels, restaurants etc.

- Conservation: If you effectively take away saltwater fishing,
less of those almost 3MM anglers will bother to renew their
licenses...taking away revenue that funds conservation efforts. 
Given that California DFW just went to a year round fishing license
to try and increase fishing licenses, it's clear that license
revenue is the primary economic driver of these efforts.

- Tourism: The sportfishing industry in California is very unique
to this part of the country.  Anecdotally, I've met dozens of
people that come here from other parts of the country just to enjoy
how we fish.  Take that industry away and you remove that incentive
to come here.  

- Kids: Sportfishing boats aren't just for fishing.  They also do
whale watching and educational trips for children.  As a father, I
felt it was invaluable for my children to see dolphins, whales,
seabirds etc. in their natural environment.  In addition,
participating in sportfishing taught my kids valuable lessons in
regards to the food they eat and how it can impact the environment
we live in.  

Please work with this valuable industry to find a compromise
solution.

Thank you for listening.

Joe Sarmiento